On the one hand a student-researcher, future PhD graduate, with his/her own scientific culture and curiosity. On the other hand, a company with research needs. In order to bring them together over shared and occasional projects, the State has developed a “Doctoral - Consultant” scheme. A schemen which has already been put to the test by one of the region’s businesses.

He still has 2 years of study ahead of him before presenting his thesis and obtaining his PhD. However, at the age of only 23, Alexis Quentin is already a brilliant young researcher. He conducts his research work within the CIMAP (Centre for Research on Ions, Materials and Photonics), managed by Serge Bouffard, and has recently combined his academic efforts with a business project. This year, he will be dedicating 32 working days to the Caen-based company Quertech, for whom this partnership is a genuine godsend. “We needed an outside and scientifically competent view in order to offer us a clearer picture of a theme for which we were planning important investment within the framework of an extensive project,” explains Frédéric Guernalec, the company’s co-founder.

With already 13 patent applications, Quertech is nonetheless an experienced SME (14 employees) as far as research is concerned. Extremely innovative in the field of metal processing and ion implantation for polymers, and an active member of the Mov’eo Competitiveness Cluster, the company already boasts 2 PhD graduates and 4 PhD students among its staff.

Initiated last April, the partnership is scheduled to last for one year. The “Doctoral Consultant” will cost Quertech 7,500 Euros, which will be paid to Caen University and 50% of which will be subsidised by Miriade (Lower Normandy Regional Council). The University will look after remunerating the young undergraduate. However, the philosophy behind the approach obviously stretches well beyond providing a little extra income for a young researcher. “What’s most important, is creating a strong link between a company and the world of research, in order to generate added value,” insists Christophe Dolabdjian, professor at the GREYC (1) and director of the SIMEM (2) doctoral school. As an ardent defender of the scheme, he readily and willingly advocates it among his students, along with his assistant Lamri Adoui. “We have launched a call for applications among our PhD students, the idea being to compile a catalogue of profiles and projects likely to be of interest to SMEs,” explains the latter. With 10 eligible positions in 2008 for Lower Normandy, “Doctoral Consultant” is sure to take off this year.

(1) Caen Research Group in Computer Science, Imaging, Automation and Instrumentation - UMR UCBN, ENSICAEN, CNRS
(2) Structures de l’Information, de la Matière et des Matériaux (Structures of Information, Matter and Materials) The SIMEM doctoral school welcomes 250 PhD students. It is one of Caen’s 6 doctoral schools, welcoming a total of 900 PhD students.

Research Directorate - University of Caen, Lower Normandy
E-mail: christophe.leconte@unicaen.fr
E-mail: agnes.hamelin@unicaen.fr
Website: GREYC

Christophe Dolabdjian
Director of the SIMEM Doctoral School
Tel: 02 31 45 26 95
Website: Université Caen Basse-Normandie

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